Connecticut western news., 1887-07-27

was so anxious to show what he was made of he could raise party of citi zens and come along himself.
 Daily accepted the challenge, and in a few hours had collected together and armed some twenty citizens, mostly miners, to accompany Lieutenant Smiths command. Daly's men were not very we'll mounted, and mere mainly armed with the old Winchester rife, which carries only about 300 yards. The soldiers were armed with the regu- lation Springfield carbine.
 It was not until the morning of the 18th at about o'clock, that the com mand left Lake Valley; citizens and sol diery. We had information that the Indians had camped at Borendo Springs, and we hoped to come up with them be- fore daylight. About nine miles out we came upon the place where the Indians had camped for the night and the trail at once grew hot. Everything showed that they had only just "struck" camp, and as the ''sign" was plenty we had no trouble in ''lifting it'' almost at a gallop. It led on to the mouth of the Gaballon Canon on the west slope of the Mimbres Mountains and about eight miles south west of the ranch of stockman named Brockman. Very soon after we entered the canon the advance guard of five men fell back and reported Indians ahead about half mile off. Lieut.. Smith or dered the guard to move on short dis tance in advance, but they were evident ly getting demoralized in the face of the enemy, and we had gone but little way when they again halted and waited for the main body to come up. The sergeant in charge said that he wanted flankers to support him and clearly did not regard with pleasure the post of honor he occu- pied. The lieutenant ordered him to again advance about 400 yards but the guard had not gone ten yards when fire was opened on the party from both sides of the canon. The Indians were in am- bush all around us. Not single Apache could be seen, but every cactus bush and every boulder seemed to vomit forth fire. Men dropped on every side before the unseen enemy At the first volley poor Smith was shot through the lower part of the body and fell from his horse.
 "Help me on my horse!" he cried to the first sergeant. The latter ran to his assistance and. placed him in his saddle.
 "Dismount, boys, and take to the rocks for your livesw was the next com mand.
 It was immediately obeyed. Every rock that a man could get cover behind was occupied as fast as the men could hurl themselves from their saddles. Horses and everything besides arms were abandoned. As clambered behind the shelter of a huge boulder on the south side of the canon where the fire seemed weakest, I glanced below and saw Lieu tenant Smith and Daly, side by side, make dash down the canon, as though to fight their way through the bowling Apaches, whose wild, triumphant cries of "Hi! Xxi! You" now filled the air. They had not gone twenty feet when both fell from their saddles literally riddled with bullets. They both had stood by the challenge made at Lake Valley and had died as only brave men can die. Two soldiers and one citizen while making for cover were shot dead in their tracks. Two citizens escaped on horseback, and brought the news o1 the disaster to Lake Valley.
 The Indians now had it all their owr way. Having secured the government horses and ammunition and arms of those killed, they made lively efforts to dis lodge those living from the cover of tht rocks. The slightest exposure brought leaden messenger; yet we were com pelled to expose ourselves in order tha the red devils did not steal upon us una wares. . l had lost my canteen and iron 10 o'clock in the morning until 4 in thu afternoon had to endure the most agon izing thirst under lurid and semi-trop ical sky, fate shared in common witl nearly all my companions. It was no until after 4 o'clock that the Indians left, just as endorsements could b. seen in the far distance
 The most horrible incident of the figh was to be compelled to witness the mutt lation of our dead comrades. The squaw and children stripped the bodies naked lighted fires upon their stomachs unti the entrails were consumed, and other wise mutilated them in the most tiendisl manner. Lieutenant Smith wore beau tiful blonde mustache. This, togethe with the upper lip, was cut off and hun! on cactus bush near where he fell When his body was brought into For Bayard neither his wife or two littl children could be permitted to look upo his dead face, and strong men were un able to gaze but q moment upon tn havoc wrought upon Gods temple.
 Poor Smith, I really believe, had
 premonition of his death. The nigh before the fatal morning he sang by tn camp fire, we all joining in the chorus that old song of brave men facing 1T
 evitable death. How his magniticer
 voice rang out:
 I "Cut off from the land that bore us,
 Betrayed by the land we find,
 With the brave men gone before us,
 And we worthless left behind
 Then stand to your glasses steady